Lawn mower work bench and test stand



June 9, 1964 J. E. BOONE 3,136,156

LAWN MOWER WORK BENCH AND TEST STAND Filed June 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR James E. 500266 June 9, 1964 J. E. BOONE LAWN MOWER WORK BENCH AND TEST STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1961 INVENTOR James [.fiaane United States Patent 3,136,156 LAWN MOWER W ORK BENCH AND TEST STAND James E. Boone, Lenoir ()xygen Company, 218 W. North St., Kinston, N.C. Filed June 12, 1961, Ser. No. 116,503 3 Claims. (Cl. 73-116) This invention relates to equipment employed in the maintenance and repair of structures of various kinds including machinery and parts such as internal combustion engines and the like which produce substances of dangerous and undesirable character which are breathed or otherwise brought into contact with the human body.

The invention relates particularly to apparatus or equipment employed in connection with the testing and servicing of lawn mowers and other machinery having moving parts which must be lubricated and some of which ap paratus develops power by the burning or combustion of volatile fluids.

Work benches and test stands for supporting power driven lawn mowers and other devices employing internal combustion engines as a source of power have not been satisfactory because they did not retain the gasoline and oil, permitting the same to spill and also they allowed the products of combustion to be discharged into the surrounding atmosphere, all of which has been undesirable as well as dangerous.

It is an object of the invention to provide a work bench and test stand on which small apparatus or pieces of machinery can be conveniently supported for ready access and to permit work thereon and which provides means for the draining of oil and gasoline without danger and in which the exhaust can be discharged on the exterior of the building in which the device is located.

Another object of the invention is to provide a work bench which can be employed for holding a lawn mower or like small machine which includes an internal combustion engine during the testing of the lawn mower, with the engine of the same running and with the machine partly dismantled and connected to convenient piping for the discharge of the exhaust gases and with readily accessible surfaces on which parts of the dismantled machine and tools may be readily supported as well as a work bench and stand which is of relatively simple construction and low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the test stand itself;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the test stand of the apparatus of FIG. 1 adjacent a wall illustrated in section;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 55 of FIG. 4.

Briefly stated, the invention is a relatively simple and inexpensive work bench or table on which a lawn mower or other machinery with a power plant may be readily placed and supported while work is done upon the same and oil, gasoline or other fluid drained from such machine may be collected in a funnel type discharge pan with a central opening in communication with a discharge pipe. A tube is connected to the discharge pipe and a motorized blower is provided for forcing air through the tube for sucking fluid from the pan into the discharge pipe and such discharge pipe is Vented through a wall to the exterior atmosphere. A second tube is provided from the discharge pipe to the exhaust of the engine to carry away the exhaust fumes.

The table is provided with a shelf beneath which the motorized blower is located, such shelf being readily "ice available for the placing of tools and equipment thereon.

With continued reference to the drawings, within a building having an upright wall 10 a test bench or stand is provided including four corner posts 11 with side and end braces 12 and 13 respectively. The corner posts are connected at their upper extremities by side and end bars 14 and 15 respectively serving to support a pair of hinged guard members 38 between which there is a grill composed of spaced generally parallel rods 18. At one end of the table is a frame 19 which supports a shelf 20, such shelf having a pair of braces 21 with angular foot portions 22 attached by fasteners 23 to two of the corner posts 11. The braces 21 may be attached to the frame 19 by welding or in any other desired manner. Beneath the shelf 2%) on a support 25 is mounted a motor and blower 26 connected to a pipe 27 for discharging foreign matter from a tapered pan or sump forming structure 28 through an opening 29 into a collection receptacle 30 inside the building. The force of the blower 26 is suflicient to carry any air or other gaseous lightweight solid matter outwardly through a pipe 31 to the exterior of the buildi ing where it is discharged into an additional receptacle The grill rods 18 are adapted to support a lawn mower 32 having an internal combustion engine 33 and an exhaust manifold 33'. A flexible conduit 34 is connected at one end to the exhaust manifold 33 and at its opposite end to the side of the pipe 31 so that the force of the air in the pipe 31 will draw air through the pipe 34.

When a lawn mower or other small machine is placed upon the work bench and test stand the exhaust gases emanating therefrom when the engine is running pass into the tube 34, then into the pipe 31 and are discharged to the exterior of the building through the wall 10 without contaminating or discharging impurity into the air of the area in which the work bench and test stand are located. Where the lawn mower is being worked the oil, gas and other liquids may be drained into the pan 28 and into a communicating opening 35, the discharge end of which is located above the opening 29 to discharge such liquids into the receptacle 30 inside the building. In order to prevent spattering of fluid over the sides of the work bench and to protect the workmen, the pair of side plates or shields 16 and 17 are fastened in place by means of a piano hinge 39, one-half of which is adapted to fasten to the plate 38 and the other half to the table top.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a relatively simple and inexpensive, although sturdy, table will be provided on which a lawn mower 32 is adapted to be supported for ready access and repair and then as its internal combustion engine is functioning the exhaust gas may be removed through the pipes 34 and 31 and the wall 10 to the exterior. Also any free lubricant or other fluid above the pan 23 may drain into the pan and through the opening 35 and such fluid may flow by gravity through the discharge opening 29 and be collected in a container 30.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A work bench and test stand comprising a table having supporting legs and a top for receiving and supporting thereon a lawn mower or other object upon which work is to be done, said table top having spaced transverse members defining an open grill through which free oil or other fluid can gravitate, said table having an extension at one edge, one or more brackets supporting said extension, a shelf supported by said brackets, a motorized blower mounted on said shelf, an exhaust pipe extending from said motorized blower transversely beneath said table top, a drain pan beneath and adjacent said table top, a connection between said drain .pan and said pipe from said blower, whereby a forced draftof air from said blower will produce suction in the connection be tween said pan and said pipe, a drainage opening from the bottom of said pipe beyond the connection to said pan from said blower, and an exhaust connection from the lawn mower to said pipe for the discharge into such discharge pipe of the exhaust of the engine of said lawn mower, said discharge pipe having a depending discharge portion, and collection means for the discharge from said drainage opening and from said depending discharge.

2. A work bench and test stand comprising a table having supporting legs and a top for receiving and supporting thereon a lawn mower or other object upon which work is to be performed, said top having spaced transverse members defining an open grill through which free oil or other fluid can gravitate, a motorized blower mounted on said table, an exhaust pipe extending from said motorized blower transversely beneath said table top, a drain pan beneath and adjacent said table top, a connection between said drain pan andsaid pipe from said-f blower, whereby a forced draft of air from said blower? will produce suction in the connection between said pan and said pipe, a drainage opening from the bottom of said pipe beyond the connection to said pan from said blower, and an exhaust connection from the lawn mower to said pipe for the discharge into such discharge pipe ofrthe exhaust of the engine of said lawn mower, and

collection means for the discharge from said drainage openingand from said discharge.

3. A work bench and test stand comprising a support for a lawn mower or other object to be tested, said support having an opening over which the object to be tested is adapted to be disposed and through which opening free oil or other substance can gravitate, a motorized blower mounted in predetermined relation to said support and having an exhaust pipe extending transversely beneath said support, a drainage pan underlying and in close proximity to the opening in said support, said drainage pan and said exhaust pipe having communicating openings andsaid exhaust pipe having a bafiie arranged so that air from the blower will be forced through the exhaust pipe beyond said baflie and produce suction through said communicating openings to withdraw the discharge from the object being tested. 7 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,168,115 Collot Aug. 1, 1939 2,576,035 Newman Nov. 20, 1951 2,662,399 Chapman- Dec. 15, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 41,017 Switzerland .Tuly 20, 1907 472,353 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1937 876,820 France Aug. 17, 1942 1.180.189 France Dec. 29. 1958 

3. A WORK BENCH AND TEST STAND COMPRISING A SUPPORT FOR A LAWN MOWER OR OTHER OBJECT TO BE TESTED, SAID SUPPORT HAVING AN OPENING OVER WHICH THE OBJECT TO BE TESTED IS ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED AND THROUGH WHICH OPENING FREE OIL OR OTHER SUBSTANCE CAN GRAVITATE, A MOTORIZED BLOWER MOUNTED IN PREDETERMINED RELATION TO SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING AN EXHAUST PIPE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BENEATH SAID SUPPORT, A DRAINAGE PAN UNDERLYING AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY 